Stringed musical instrument



` March 2 1926.

W. l. KIRK El' AL ,STRINGED vMUSICAL INSTRUMENT Filed April 29, 1922 Patented Mar. 2,1926.

OFFICE WALYTERILgKInK AND LouIs E, riirnnsEN, or, CHIcAGo', ILLINOIS, JfissIGrNons, BY v.MESNE.AssIGrNr/IENTs; To MARQUETTEMIISICVCOMPANY, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS,

i Nl

' Y Af oonroitATIoN; irri-ILLINOIS.

sTnINGEn ivIUsIoAI. INSTRUMENT.

7 10 all Ywhom t may concern;

d Beit known-that we, WALTER l. KIRK and LoUIs E. Pn'iiinsEN, citizens of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new `fand useful Improvement in Stringed iMusical Instruments,` of VWhich the following isl a `full, clear, concise,and exact. description, reference fbeing hadto the ac-Y companyingggv drawings, forming a part o@ Ythis specification. .i y n,

y Our invention relates to stringed musical instruments and particularly to banjos and the like;

VOne of the objects ofthe invention is to provide a simple and advantageous form of Anothe object of Vthe invention is to strengthen the tone andto make it of'ine quality. y Y Another A,objectof the invention'is to se cure strength, simplicity and i rigidity of `construction in instrumentso'f the class speci- Y' Referring'to the drawings, We show a ned. 'Another object of the invention is to avoid built up constructions so Common in` musical instruments. I j

In the laccompanying drawings/Fig. l is a plan 'viewof a stringed musical instrument such asa banjo embodying our present invention; Fig. 2 is a cross Section taken on line2-2 in 'Fig'. 1.; 1 y )Y Y FigQB is'a lcross section similar to Fig.. 2 of a modified `form of construction. I

l banjo A, although it will be understood 'that the invention may be applied to otherforms ofl musical instrui'nenta This' banjo A has af'neckl and a: body or head 2, and strings The` head 2has an var'inulus or ring 4 lpreferably made -ofra series oit' Wooden pieces' lL-4a, -as ybest shoivn` inkFig. 2. ItH

valso has an annular-member or ring `5 preferably made of metal and having a side portion '52 which extends down and is on the outervside of the ring or hoop member 4.

This member 5 has anfannular bead 6 .which forms a support forv the' vellum resonating member 7 and also hasaninwardly extending concave portion 8 lpreferably vmade integral with the curved portion 6 and the outerlsideportion 5.. The portion 8 extends upwardlytoward the diaphragm? but'does not touch the same', there beinga small space 55 same. Side hooks 12 engage the tension ring 60 10 to hold the same in position andare in Iturn engaged and held by bracketsl sel cured bycross bolts 14 passing through rim inember`4, and also throughV the side or skirtl portion 5a of the diaphragm support.' 65

In the modification shown in Fig. 3 the member 5 has a side portion 5?l extended downwardly and underneath the loweredge of rim member 4 and is also preferably pro; *I .vided with a ilange v5c on the inner side of 70 the rimmember 4. y A

By this construction a veryV strong tone ofvery fine qualit)7 is obtained, the metal member 5 apparently strengthening the tone y and giving it the quality. Furthermore the 7.5 construction is much simplilied and is also very strong and rigid, the shoulder 6 'alri'ordingastrong andfrigid support for the dia-- phragm.

vIt Will `be understoodthat changes and 80 .modifications may be'. made Without departing from the spiritol:` the invention.v

yWhat We claim is: l. A stringed musical instrument having..

a rim With an annular shoulder, a diaphragm y extending across the rim, meansjfor holding v the diaphragm under tension and an annu- "lar member arranged beneath the diaphragm and extending around Within saidr rim, and

at the upper edge of the same, said annular A member being concave with both its Vouter vandinner edges near the diaphragm so as to' form a resonating chamber beneath the diaphragm, the inner edgev of said member .being free from contact With the diaphragm.

vr.2. A stringed musical instrument having a rim, ajinetal ring extending around the top of `said rimgand having a concave 1nivardly extending portion forming a resonating chamber and a diaphragm extending chainbeig'the concave side of said ring fac-,-

ing the diaphragm, and the inner edge ot contact with the -mounted onthe'top of. said rim and having ioo across saidjrim and above said resonating fa dwnwardlry extendingpmgtoll `arranged phragm under tension.

' In Witness whegeof; We hereunto Subsc Y .WALTER i, v fLOUIS'E'PXETERSEN.

Certificate of Correction.

It is hereby certified that Letters Patent No. 1,575,212., granted March 2, 1926, upon the application of WTa-lter I. Kirk and Louis E. Petersen, of Chica-go, Illinois, for an improvement in Stringed Musical Instruments, Were erroneously issued to Marquette Music Company, of Chicago, Illinois, Whereas said Letters Patent should have been issued to Lyon c@ Healy, Ifno., of Ultim-go, Illinois, a Corporation of Illinois, said corporation being assignee, 72g/ mesme assignments, of the entire interest in said invention, as shown by the record of assignments in this oflice; and

that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 13th day of April, A. D. 1926.

[SEAL] M. J. MOORE,

Acting OOmmiSSiO/neiof Patents.

Certificate of Correction.

It is hereby certified that Letters Patent No. 1,575,212., granted March 2, 1926, upon the application of WTa-lter I. Kirk and Louis E. Petersen, of Chica-go, Illinois, for an improvement in Stringed Musical Instruments, Were erroneously issued to Marquette Music Company, of Chicago, Illinois, Whereas said Letters Patent should have been issued to Lyon c@ Healy, Ifno., of Ultim-go, Illinois, a Corporation of Illinois, said corporation being assignee, 72g/ mesme assignments, of the entire interest in said invention, as shown by the record of assignments in this oflice; and

that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 13th day of April, A. D. 1926.

[SEAL] M. J. MOORE,

Acting OOmmiSSiO/neiof Patents.

Certificate of Correction.

It is hereby certified that Letters Patent No. 1,575,212, grunted March 2, 1926, upon the application of falter l. Kirk and Louis E. Petersen, ot Chicago, lllinois, for an improvement in Stringed Musical nstiuinents, Wei-e erroneously issued to Marquette Music Company, of Chicago, llinois,77 Whereas said Letters Patent should have been issued to .L3/on (Ev Healy, [110., ofv Chicago, lZZe'moz's, a Corporation of lllznoz's, said corporation being assignee, by mosto assignments, of the @otite interest in said invention, as shown hy the record of assignments in this otlice; und

that the said Letters Patent should he read with this correction therein that the sume may conform to the record ot' the euse in the Patent Otliee.

Signed and sealed this 18th doy ot April, A. D. 1926.

[SEAL] M. J. MOORE,

Acting Uommtssonoa" of Patents, 

